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Forgive me gods of music but I had always ignored The Velvet Underground. I'd always thought they wouldn't be up my street since EVERYONE loves them and it just seemed like people felt obligated to like them rather than any genuine affection. God how wrong I was. In fact maybe I've phrased that wrong. It wasn't that I didn't think they'd be good, I mean the number of bands who cite them as influences is staggering, it's just I'd never made the time to get into them.

I bought The Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground (remastered) and I now feel a bit foolish. From 'Candy Says' through to 'I'm Set Free' the quality never lets up. The last three tracks are alright but those first seven - wow. I'm aware that this album perhaps isn't fully representative of their output so the question is where next? And what are your favourite Velvet Underground moments?

...about them being familiar with a few songs but I have to admit I was pretty surprised how good that album is. Might pick up VU&Nico and White Light/White Heat today actually. Was intending to get the new Arcade Fire one anyway.

I think the problem I had was that although everyone likes them I've never actually been at a party or anything where someone has actually pulled out one of their records and put it on. Strange as most people I know have their records and one mate loves them although he just doesn't seem to ever play them.

No album of theirs is bad (the proper VU anyway), and even the some of the rarities are great, such as Ocean. I'm a tame listener, so I do prefer Velvet Underground and Loaded (the first few seconds of Sweet Jane is amazing), but my favourite moment of theirs is always What Goes On.

Most people, inc me, go for the banana album first then work their way through. The 3rd album is a highlight for me and the one I tend to play the most but that always changes anyway. Depends on your mood with the VU albums. Loaded is wonderful from start to finsih and a real rock n roll gem. White Light White Heat an evil distorted bastard of a record but totally brilliant. The levels are all over the shot on that one and it has Sister Ray and the head splitting guitar solo in I Heard Her Call My Name so you can't go wrong buying that. Then there's the genius of the debut. Live 1969 is also a must with the later period band in relaxed mode, really nice versions of some of their classics on there, and if you love the 3rd album then there's What Goes On, Beginning To See The Light etc etc. Just buy all the studio albums and that one.

all great from what I've heard, Paris 1919, Fear, Slowdance, Helen of Troy, Sabotage, etc. Vintage Violence is a bit weak I guess, and I haven't really explored his post-70s stuff. plus he produced various seminal albums 'n stuff, Modern Lovers, Stooges, Patti Smith.

there's an album called sunblindness which is pretty cool and pre-velvets. I don't think you can really call Vintage Violence weak though?To be honest most of the stuff he did after Troy is a little pale in comparison to the stuff before. Great live though, and he plays Pablo Picasso!

The Velvet Underground have A LOT of non album tracks and almost all of them are fantastic. It's a lot of work to track it all down, you'd need to buy 2 compilations, all four records and even then you'd be missing a bunch of stuff. Even the demos are worthwhile on the box set because there's a bunch of them that would later become Lou Reed Solo songs and they're much better IMO as VU songs. This way you get absolutely everything by them, a tiny sample of Nico's solo work and cool alternate versions of stuff. The book included is also a fairly good read. The only problem is that the music is presented sequentially the so albums are all in order but they're bookended by non album tracks. I never had an issue but some do. Last of all, the remastering on the box set is decent. Their stuff was recorded atrociously but it helps. You can usually find the set used for cheap but even new I think it's fairly inexpensive.

I don't feel Loaded as much as the other three (no Mo) and assumed that was the increasing Doug Yule influence, so never delved into the post-Reedian era. It would be good to know if it worked, Mo Tucker is a hero of mine, one of the few true original stylists on drums.

some of the stuff (only live I think) is even past Mo Tucker's involvement though! pretty incredible, it features no members of the original line-up. one of the few bands I can think of where this happened

.....back at Glastonbury festy in 1993.....i was 20 at the time and loved then not long after my 18th......they reformed for a short world type tour and happened to play at the festival......6 months later Sterling Morrisson passed away......so for me thats not just a highlight but one of the most memorable music events of my life....so far.

but walked away half way through. I'd loved the VU for sometime and was really looking forward to it but standing in a sunny field during the afternoon wasn't really how I wanted to see them. Saw them at Wembley Arena too and it was OK. All Tomorrows Parties sounded amazing. I'm glad I saw them but.....
I was playing the LIVE 1969 album last night for the first time in ages and it's so good. The version of White Light White Heat is 8 minutes of awesome-ness! Then there's Side 3 of the vinyl - Ocean, Pale Blue Eyes and Heroin. Oh my oh my, wouldn't it have been amazing to see them back then.